Definition
零时 is a compound noun meaning 'midnight' (00:00) in schedules, timetables, and formal timekeeping. It can also refer to the 'zero hour' or critical moment in military or strategic contexts, though that usage is less common. Unlike 零点 (líng diǎn), which is the everyday word for midnight, 零时 appears more in written or official contexts.
n.
midnight12:00 AM(military) zero hourthe critical moment
Examples
- 零时。Huǒchē jiāng zài líng shí chūfā.The train will depart at midnight.
- 零时，。Cóng líng shí kāishǐ, xīn de yì tiān jiù kāishǐ le.From midnight, a new day begins.
- 零时。Xíngdòng zài líng shí zhǔnshí kāishǐ.The operation began precisely at zero hour.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.